REVIEW OF THE PARROTFISHES 73 



however, there is never any round dark blotch at base of caudal fin; 

 distal margin of caudal fin margined with pale or whitish; teeth pale 

 or light yellowish gray. 



The pectoral fin is dark in its upper %, pale ventrally, with distal 

 tips of all rays pale; distal edge of dorsal and anal fins narrowly 

 margined with a green streak; membranes between rays of median 

 fins greenish, this sometimes confined to central portion of these fins 

 in the form of streaks or elongate spots; in illustrations in the litera- 

 tm-e, the light and dark areas of the head, though variable to a certain 

 extent, are remarkably characteristic and constant in pattern, espe- 

 cially should be noted the large dark area of the cheek, below which, 

 on under side of head, is a pale area; dorsal sm-face of head pale, with 

 a large dark blotch in front of interorbal area; the upper lip edged 

 with pale, above which is a dark crossband, usually but not always 

 separated from dark cheek by a narrow pale isthmus. 



In the juvenile or brownish color phase, the background coloration 

 is brownish to light brownish, each scale with a small brownish blotch; 

 all fins hght brownish to light grayish; distal edge of caudal fin nar- 

 rowly margined with pale or whitish; pectoral fin plain pale. The 

 green color phase begins to appear at about 85 to 100 mm. 



In live specimens, the areas brownish in alcohol are usually greenish, 

 thus on large specimens the scales are greenish, except the centers, 

 which are orange; membranes between rays of median fins greenish; 

 dorsal and ventral edges of caudal fin green, as are outer edges of 

 pelvic fins; 2 green bands extend posteriorly behind orbit, separated 

 by orange coloration; dorsal edge of pectoral fin green; the blotches 

 on head that are brownish in alcohol are greenish, and pale inter- 

 spaces orange; eye orange. 



The juvenile coloration is grayish anteriorly, with a purplish tinge 

 to the darker gray posteriorly. 



This species might be confused with sordidus on the basis of having 

 ii,13 pectoral rays; however, it differs in color pattern in three ways: 

 (1) the distal margin of anal fin has a narrow pale streak, whereas in 

 sordidus the distal half of this fin is marked with a broad band; (2) 

 there is no dark blotch surrounded by a pale area on caudal peduncle 

 at base of caudal fin, as in sordidus; (3) the interorbital in front of 

 the eyes is marked by a large brown (green when alive) blotch, 

 whereas in sordidus this area is plain brownish (plain greenish when 

 alive). 



Scarus jonesi in coloration resembles most closely S. howersi 

 (Snyder), from Okinawa, with which it might be confused. How- 

 ever, after studying a large series of specimens oi jonesi and comparing 

 these with the types of S. howersi (USNM 62950), there can be no 

 doubt that the two species are distinct. S. jonesi does not have the 



